Process of treating materials.



1 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. YOST. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF TREATING MATERIALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Ho Drawing. Application filed September 4, 1909, Serial No. 516,306. Renewed January 18, 1911. Serial I Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnnnmon W. Yos'r, a .citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of-Ill1nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Treatin'g Materials, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the treatment of materials; and it comprises a process where- .in a reaction-produclng gas is conducted by me on the fourth day of September,

1909 (renewed Jan. 16,1911, Serial No.

' 602,979); all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

.One of the chief objects attained by my invention is the high' efficiency of the process, because the gaseous element is brought to the zones of reaction uncontaminated -by the products of reaction, since the reactionsupporting gas is conducted through the material toward the surface of initial reaction. Andsince the waste products of reaction are not conducted through the untreated material both reactions are susceptible of full control, because the untreated material is acted upon only by the energy developed at the zone of initial reaction.

Another important object attained is the lengthened life of any apparatus employed, because in my process the volatile products escape from the interior of the mass at the same surface at which the first reaction is initiated; therefore, the destructive agencies are all confined to one region of the apparatus and that part of the apparatus may be formed of material largely uninfluenced by such agencies.

A further attainment is the increased speed of operation due to clinkermg a portion of the mass while the initial reaction is being propagated.

Iy process can be carried on intermittently in any reverberatory roasting furnace provided with a perforated hearth, or it can be carried on continuously in well known forms of chain grate stoker furnaces.

My dprocess ma be used for clinkering finely ivided oxi ores. Such material may be in a finely divided state as found in nature, or it may be finely divided as the result of treatment by concentration, or it may be a' finely subdivided metallurgical waste such-as blast furnace flue dust. The finely divided ore to be clinkered is intimately mixed with powdered coal, coke charcoal or other combustible material and is charged into one of the types of furnace referred to. The upper surface of the charge is agglomerated by contact with hot furnace gases, generated by the combustion of extraneous fuel; air is introduced at the 'lower surface of the charge and is conducted upward through the interior of the mass of ore; the heat, applied to the upper surface, is propagated downward throu h the mass to the lower surface by interna combustion and the upper portion of the charge is thereby clinkered; another clinkering reaction is propagated upward from the lower surface by the continued blowing of air through the mass thereby clinkering the lower portion of the charge; and the volatile products of combustion escape at the upper surface and join the furnace gases.

The furnace gases must be sutliciently reducing to partly deoxidize the material at the upper surface of the charge so as to initiate the a glomeratin reaction which is propagated downwar through the upper portion of the mass. The formation of a fused layer, at the upper surface of the mass, has the incidental advantage of preventin the waste gases from carrying away the nely subdivided particles of the char e. In a reverberato'ry furnace, with a fixe perforated of the charge proceeds while the p ane of combustion is being propagated downward, but the clinkering of the lower portion of the charge does not begin until the plane of combustion reaches the lower surface. When the material is treated in a chain ate stoker furnace the various stages the hearth, the clinkering of the upper ortion process take place simultaneously; the clinkering ofthe upper portion of the charge proceeds downward and the plane of combustionlis propagated downward through the'mass, in one part ofthe furnace, While the previouslyheated lower portion of thecharge isbeing clinkered inanother part of the furnaces.

It will be evident that an importaait'feature in the economy of the treatment is in- 'Ymaintaining, in-the interior of the charge,

the least degree of reduction that will permit the propagation "of thea'gglomerating, reaction and this condition necessitates the. use of the-minimum amount of combustible material inthe charge. The carbonaceous components in 'the'charge may be still further reduced in quantity by adding combustible gas to'the air, conducted throughthe mass, or bysubst-i-tuting hot air for cold air.' When it is desired to produce clinker containing the lower oxids or more or less reduced metal it will be necessary to maintain, in the interior of the charge, condi-- tions that are more highly reducing than those required for the production of high 'oxid clinker. Such highly reducing conditions may be secured by the use of larger proportions of carbonaceous material in the charge; or bythe addition of combustible. gas to the air used for the propagation of both reactions; or by the use of air for the propagation of the initialreaction and combustible'gas for the propagation of the second reaction. The finished product may be made into large and relatively dense blocks of clinker, such as are desirable for i open hearth furnace use, or into highly porous and relatively-small pieces of clinker, suchas are desirable for blast furnaceuse, by varying the amount of air blown through the charge during the progress of and after the completion of the clinkering reaction.

I My process may also be used for roasting and clinkering finely divided sulfid ores, concentrates or flue dust. The finely divided sulfid ore is charged into one of the types of furnace referred to; air is introduced at the lower surface of the charge and is conducted upward through the interior of the mass; the opposite surface of the charge is agglomerated by contact with the hot furnace gases; 'and the heat is propagated downward to the lower surface by internal combustion -'thereby clinkering the upper portion of the charge; another clinkering reaction is propagated. upward tfromv the lower surface by the continued blowing of air' through the mass thereby clinkering the lower portion of the charge; and the volatile products ofcombustion escape :at theupper surface. The fusion of the upper surface of the charge initiates the agglomerating reaction which is propagated downward through the upper portion of the mass. Ma-

Aterial containing the maximum amount 'of sulfur, found, mores and concentrates, may

referred to without the use of-an igniting flame generated from the combustion of'extraneous fuel; because, when the brickwork 'ofthe furnace has once been heated to a from the charge, may be used for sulfuricacid manufacture or other by-product purreaches the zones of reaction uncontaminated mum volume needbe used; therefore, the waste sulfur gases are highly concentrated 'and'are very valuable .for by-product use. Where the material is too low in sulfur for elements to the charge.

divided carbonaceous material and. is

referred to.

of extraneous fuel;."air is introduced at the lower surface of .the charge'and is 'conmass; the heat, applied to the upper surface, is propagateddownward through the mass to the lower surface by internal comis thereby clinkered; anotherclinkering re-' surface by the continued blowing of air through the mass thereby clinkering the lower portion of the charge; and the vola- .successful conduct of the process requires the formation of the fused layer at'the upper surface so that the escape of the volatile products from the charge will not be hindered by a' non-porous layer. The intermixed fuel in any region is consumed by the internal reaction only when the hot combustion zone, in its initial and downward progress,

reaches that region; therefore, the small particles of, fuel release their heat only at the time and at the place when and where -it is needed. Small clinker with a highly porous structure is' more readily crushed and ground into finished cement than is high temperature, the radiated heat will ig-f nitethe sulfur of-the "ore and the combustion of the sulfur with a suitable air 'blast' will-fuse the surface of the charge and will. maintain the temperature of the hot brick-.- "work; therefore, the'waste gases, escaping My process is well adapted for the clinker ing of cement materials. The finely ground- .rawmix is intimately mixed with finely action is propagated upward from the lower tile products and gases formed from the components of the charge escape at the upper surface and join the furnace gases. The.

the blowingof air through the mass duringor in its. second and upward progress,

be-treated in one of the types of furnace pose. The'air, conducted-through the mass,

by the products of reaction, hence the air acts with great efliciency and only the mini-' the propagation of internal combustion-it Will beneeessary to add other" combustible.

charged into one of the typesjof furnace The upper surface of the charge is agglomeratedby contact with hotfurnace gases, generated by the combustion ducted upward through the interior of the dense clinker of large size, and this desirable physical quality may be obtained by suitable variation in the amount of air conducted through the charge duri/ng the progress of and after the completion the clinkering reaction.

-In the treatment of the materials described in these examples various modificationswill suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. It may be desirable to moisten the charge to form interstices for the uniform distribution of the combustion-supporting gas through the mass. The temperature in the zone of reactlo-n may be regulated, or the character of the reaction may be varied, by. the addltion of steam, volatile products of combustion or other modifying elements to the air conducted through the interior of the mass. When the material to be clinkered' is of a highly refractory nature it may be desirable to add a flux to lower the clinkering temperature whereby the fuel consumption may be lessened. The combustible components of the charge may be lessened in amount, 01' wholly eliminated, by the use of highly heated air conducted through the mass with or without an admixture of combustible gases. Where the ash from the combustion of solid fuel is an undesirable'ingredient of the clinkered product liquid or semi-liquid fuel may be used as the heat developing com onent of the charge.

T is process requires that the conditions relating to the composition of the charge, the composition and temperature of the igniting or heating gases, and the composition, temperature and pressure of the combustion-supporting gas, be properly correlated, so that during the first stage a clinkering'reaction will be initiated at the upper surface and will be propagated downward through the upper portion of the charge coincidentally with the heating of the charge which rogresses from the upper to the lower sur ace, and so that during the second stage the additional air conducted through the charge and acting upon the heated material, will also initiate a clinkering reactionat the lower surface and will aid in propagating this clinkering reaction upward through the unclinkered portion of the charge. In the present process increased speed of operation isattained by clinkering 5 aportio-n of the charge during the first stage and another portion of the charge during the second stage; and in this respect, the present process differs essentially from that described in my co-pending ap- 0 plication above referred to, wherein there must be such a change of the correlations of the controllable-conditions that a heating zone unaccompanied by a clinkering react-ion, will propagate downward throu h 5 the charge to the lower surface, there y maintaining the charge in a loose, granular condition during the first stage of the process; and that during the second stage, a clinkering reaction initiated at the lower surface, will be propagated upward through the charge to the upper surface.

{I do not wish to be limited to treatment of the specific materials described in the examples, nor do I wish to be limited to the specific details of treatment there described, nor merely to the specific process of treating iron oxids as herein described, since it will be evident to those skilled in the art that this invention applies to the treatment of any material, or any mixture of materials, of such a nature that an initial reaction can be propagated through a mass in one direction to' clinker a portion of the mass, and a second reaction can be propagated through the mass in another direction to clinker another portion of the mass, by the means described.

It will be further evident that the kinds of treatment accorded the material are not limited to calcining, roasting, or reducing and clinkering, but may include any treatment which can be carried on in separate stages, as described. It will be also evident that the gaseous element can vary widely as to composition, and may be either an oxidizing or reducing agent, provided that under suitable control of conditions, it has the property of aiding in propagating one reaction toward the surface of gas entrance and another reaction toward the surface of gas exit. Neither do I wish to be limited to the use of one kind of gas for the propagation of both reactions, since it will be evident that for some purposes it may be desirable to use an oxidizing gas to propagate c-ne reaction and a reducing gas to propagate the other reaction.

In all of the examples, I have described a downward propagation of the initial re action and an upward course for the reaction-supporting gas; but for different conditions, I may prefer to propagate the initial reaction upward, or in any other direction, provided the gaseous element is conducted in a direction other than the course of initial reaction.

It is to be understood that the words, finely divided, as herein used, have reference to any degree of subdivision that best adapts the material to treatment by my process, as some materials respond to treatment better when in a relatively coarse condition while other materials respond to treatment only when in a finely divided state. It is to be-also understood that, where the material is described in the claims as containing various components, the vari-v ous components may be originally contained in the material, or they may be added to the material to preparedt for treatment.

In another and co-pending application,- Serial Number 516,305, filed September 4th,;

1909, I have described and claimed a specific embodiment of this invention wherein,

by proper control of thermal and other conditions, the clinkering reaction proceeds through the mass, in one direct-ion only; in the embodiment which is specifically claimed in the present application, one clinkering reaction proceeds through the massin a direction other than the course of. the gas current and another clinkering, reaction proceeds in a dilferent direction.

lVhat I claim is: I 1. The process of treating finely divided.

material containing heat developing com- 'ponents, which comprises heating a surface of a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-support ducting the combustion-supporting gas through the mass, propagating the heat through the -mass in one direction by internal combustion to clinker a portion of' the mass, and propagating a second reaction through the mass in another direction'to clinker another portion of the mass, sub-'- stantially as described.

' clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as'described.

3. The process of treating finely divided material containing gas forming components, which comprises heating a surface of a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-support ing gas at another surface of the mass, conducting the combustionsupporting gas through the mass, propagating the heat through the mass in one direction by internalcombustion to clinker a portion of the mass, and propagating a second reaction through the mass in another direction to clinker another portion of the mass, substantially as described.

4. The process of treating finely divided material containing gas forming compo- I nents, which comprises heating the upper surface of a mass of the material under conditions which initiate, a clinkering reaction ing gas at another surface of the mass, con

at that surface, introducing a combustionsupporting, gas at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the mass,,propagating the heat downward through the mass" from the upper to the lower surface by-internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of,the mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

5. .The process of treating finely divided material containing combustible components,

which comprises heating a surfa'ceof a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at another surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas through the mass, propagating the heat through the mass in one dlrection by internal combustion to clinker a portion of the mass, and propagating a second reaction through the mass in another direction to clinker another'portion of the mass, substantially as described.

'6.' The process of treating 'finely divided material containing combustible components, which comprises heating the upper surface of a mass of the material under'conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction atthat surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the mass, propagating the heat downward through the mass fromthe upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the mass, and propagatinga clinkering reaction I upward from the-lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

7. The process of treating finely divided material containing combustiomsupporting' and other components, which comprises heating a surface of a mass of thematerial under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a gas which is reactive with some of the components of the material) at anothersurface of the mass, conducting the reactive gas through the mass, propagating the heat through the mass in one direction by internal combustion to agglomerate a portion of themass, and propagating a. second reaction through the mass in another direction to agglomerate another portion of the mass,

substantially as described.

8. The process of treating finely divided material containing heat developing components, which comprises producing ignition in a mass of the material under conditions. which initiate a clinkering reaction at a surface of the mass, feeding a gas current through, the mass, propagating the plane of ignition backwardagainst the flow of the to clinker a portion of the mass, and r agating a clinkering reaction forwar wlth the flow-of the gas current to clinker another portion of the mass, substantially as described. a r r 9. The process of treating finely divided material containing gas forming components, which comprises producing ignition in a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at a surface of the mass, feeding a gas current through the mass, propagating the plane of ignition backward against the flow of the gas current by means of an internal reaction to clinker a portion of the mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction forward with the flow of the gas current to clinker another portion of the mass, substantially as described.

10. The process of treating. finely divided material containing combustible components, which comprises producing ignition in a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at a surface of the mass, feeding a gas current through the mass, propagating the plane of ignition backward against the flow of the gas current by means of an internal reaction to clinker a portion of the mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction forward with the flow of the gas current to clinker another portion of the mass, substantially as described.

11. The process of treating finely divided material containing heat developing components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to a surface of a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-sup porting gas at another surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas through the mass, propagating the heat through the mass in one direction by internal combustion to clinker a portion of the mass, and propagating a second reaction through the mass in another direction to clinker another portion of the mass, substantially as described.

12. The process of treating finely divided material containing heat developing components, which comprises transmittlng heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of a mass of the material under condi-' tions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustionsupporting gas at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the mass, propagating the heat downward through the mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the mass, and ipropagating a clinkering reaction upward om the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

13. The process of treating finely divided material containing gas forming components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases toa surface of a mass ofthe material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at another surface of the mass,.conducting the combustion-supporting gas through the mass, propagating the-heat through the mass in one direction by internal. combustion to clinker a portion of the mass, and propagating a second reaction through the mass in another direction to clinker another portion of the mass, substantially as described.

- 14. The process of treating finely divided material containing gas forming components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the u per surface of a mass of the material un er conditions which initiate a clinkerin porting gas at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas reaction at that surface, introducing a com ust1on-sup-' upward through the mass, propagating the A heat downward through the mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

15. The process of treatin finely divided material containing combusti le components, which comprises transmitting heat from a bodyof hot gases to a surface of a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at another surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas throu h -the mass, propagatlng the eat through t 'e mass in one direction by internal combustion to clinker a portion of the mass, and propagatinga second reaction through the mass in another direction to clinker another portion of the mass, substantially as described.

16. The process of treating finely divided heat downward through the mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of .the mass, and-propagating a'clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

17. The process of treating finely divided material containing combustible components,

which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upp mass upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the movable mass, substantially as described. v

18. The process of treating finely divided "material containing carbonaceous compo nents, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of 'a'movable mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface- .of the movable mass, conducting the com,-

movable mass, propagating the heat downward through the movable mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the movable mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lowersurface to clinker the lower portion of the movable mass, substantially as described; I

19. The process of treating finely divided transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of a movable mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a gas (which is reactive with some of the components of the material) at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the reactive gas upward through the mass, propagating the heat downward through the mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to agglomerate the upper portion of the mass, and propagating a second reaction upward from the lower surface to agglomerate the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

20. The process of treating finely divided metal-bearing material containing combustible components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at 'the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustioner surface of amovable mass of the material under cond1-,

to clinker the upper portion of the movable. and propagating a clinkering reaction bustion-supporting gas upward through the material containing combustion-supportingand other components, whlch comprlses supporting gas upward through the mass, propa ating the heat downward through the mass. rom the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to. clinker the upper "portion of the mass, and ropagating a clinkering reaction upward surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

21. The process of treating finely divided metal-bearing material containing combustible components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases tothe upper surface of a movable mass of the material under. conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the movable mass, conducting the om the lower combustion-supporting gas upward through the upper'to the lower surface by internal.

combustion to clinker the upper portion ofthe movable mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower sur-- face to clinker the lower portion of the movable mass, substantially as described.

22. The process of treating finely metal-bearing material containing carbonaceous components, which comprises transmitting heat. from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of a mass of the material under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the mass, propagating the heat downward through the mass from the upper to the lower surface by in-' ternal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the mass, and propa ating a clinkering reaction upward from t e lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass,

substantially as described.

divided 23. The process of treating finely divided I metal-bearing material containing carbonaceous components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of a movable mass of the maternal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the movable mass, and propagating" a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the movable mass, substantially as described.

24. The process of treating-a finely divided 2 0 oxid-ore mixture containing combustible.

components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of a mass of the mixture under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, lntroducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas' upward through the mass, propagating the heat downward through the mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal com bustion to clinker the upper portion of the mass, and propagating a clinkerin reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, sub- 1 stantially as described.

bustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the movable mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the movable mass, propagating the beat downward through the movable mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the movable mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the movable' mass, substantially as described.

26. The process of treating a finely divided oxid-ore mixture containing carbonaceous components, which comprises transmitting heat from a body of hot gases, to the upper surface of a mass of the mixture under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, introducing a combustionsupporting gas at the lower surface of the mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the mass, propagating the heat downward through the mass from the upper to thelower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper ortion of the mass, and propagating a clin ering reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the mass, substantially as described.

27. The process of treating a finely divided oxid-ore mixture containing carbonaceous components, which comprises transmit-ting heat from a body ofhot gases to the upper surface of a movable mass of the mixture under conditions which initiate a clinkering bustion-supporting gas at the lower surface reaction at that surface, introducing a comof the movable mass, conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the movable mass, propagating the heat downward through the movable mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the movable mass, and propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface to clinker the lower portion of the movable mass, substantially as described.

28. The process of continuously treating finely divided material containing combustible components, which comprises continuously feeding the material to the moving perforated hearth of a reverberatory furnace to form' a moving mass of the material, continuously transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of the moving mass under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, continuously introducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the moving mass, continuously conducting the combustion-supporting gas upward through the moving mass, continuously propagating the heat downward through the moving mass from the upper to the lower surfaceby internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the moving mass in one part of the furnace, and continuously propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface of the moving mass to clinker the lower portion of the moving mass in another part of the furnace, substantially as ,described.

29. The process of continuously treating finely divided material containing carbonaceous components, which comprises continuously feeding the material to the moving perforated hearth of a reverberatory furnace to form a moving mass of the material,

continuously transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of the moving mass under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, continuously introducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the moving mass, continuously conducti the combustion-supporting gas upwar through the movin mass, continuously propagatlng the heat ownward through the moving mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the moving mass in one part of the furnace, and continuously propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface of the moving mass to clinker the lower portion of the moving mass in another part of the furnace, substantially as described.

30. The. process of continuously treating finely divided material containing combustion-supporting and other components, which comprises continuously feeding the material to the moving perforated hearth of a reverheratory furnace to form a moving mass of the material, continuously transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of the moving mass under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at that surface, continuously introducing a gas (which is reactive with some of the components of the material) at the lower surface of the moving mass, continuously conduct-ing the reactive gas upward through the mov: ing mass, continuously propagating the heat downward, through the moving mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to agglomerate the upper portion" of the moving mass in one part of the furnace, and continuously propagating a second reaction upward from the lowersurface of the moving mass to agglomerate the lower portionof the. moving mass in another part of the furnace, substantially as described.

31. The process ofcontinuously treating tion-supporting gas at the lower surface ofthe moving mass, continuously conducting the combustion supporting gas upward through the moving mass, continuously propagating the heat downward through the vmoving mass from the-upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the moving mass in one part of the furnace, and continuously propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface of the moving mass to clinker. the lower portion of the moving mass in another part of the furnace, substantially as described.

' 32. The process of continuously treating finely divided metalbearing material containing carbonaceous components, which comprises continuously feeding the material to the moving perforated'hearth of a reverberatory furnace to form a moving mass, of the material, continuously transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface'of the moving mass, under conditions which initiate a clinkering reaction at. that Surface, continuously introducing a combustion-supporting gas at thelower surface of the movlng mass, continuously conducting the combustion supporting gas upward through the moving mass, continuously propagating the heat downward through the moving mass from the upper to the lower surface byinternal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the moving mass in one part of the furnace, and continuously propagating a clinkering reaction upward from the lower surface of the moving mass to clinker the lower portion of the moving mass in an-' other part of the furnace, substantially as described.

I 33. The process of continuously treating a finely divided oxid-ore mixture containing combustible components, which comprises continuously feeding the mixture to the terial, continuously transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to'the upper surface of the ate a clinkering reaction at that surface, continuously introducing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surfaceof the moving mass, continuously conducting the combustion-supportinggas upward through the moving mass, continuously propagating the heat downward through the moving mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the moving mass in one part of the furnace, and continuously ropagating a clinkering reaction upward rom the lower surface of the moving mass to clinker the lower-portion of the moving mass in another part of the furnace, substantially as described.

34. The process of continuously treating a.

finely. divided oxid-ore mixture containing carbonaceous components, which comprises continuouslyfeeding the mixture to the moving perforate-d hearth of a reverberatory furnace to form a moving mass of the material, continuously transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of the moving mass under conditions which initiate a clinkering at that. surface, Y continuously 'introduc-- ing a combustion-supporting gas at the lower surface of the moving mass, continuously conducting the combustionsupporting gas upward through the moving mass, continuously propagatingv the heat downward through the moving mass from the upper to the lower surface by internal combustion to clinker the upper portion of the moving mass in one part of the furnace,

and continuously propagating a clinkering reaction upward from'the lower surface of -moving mass under conditions which'intireaction the moving mass to clinker the lower por- I tion of the moving mass in another part of the furnace, substantially as described.

The process of continuously treating finely divided iron oxi'd, which comprises mixing with the ironoxid finely divided fuel to form a mixture capable of being clinkered; continuously feeding the mix- .ture to the moving perforated hearth of a reverberatory furnace to form a moving mass; continuously transmitting heat from a body of hot gases to the upper surface of the moving mass; and continuously conducting a combustion-supporting gas upward throughthemoving mass; the conditions relating to the compositionof the iron oxid mixture, the composition and temperature of the hot gases, and the composition, temperature and pressure of the combustionsupporting gas being so correlated that in one part of the furnace heat is caused to continuously propagate downward thro h the moving mass m the upper to t 0 lower surface, and clinkering reaction initinted at the upper surface of the moving mass is caused to continuously propa ate downward throu h the upper portion 0 the moving mass, w e in another part of the furnace a clinkering reaction initiated at the lower surface of the moving mass is caused to continuously propagate upward through the unclinkered portion of the movm mass.

11 testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 my hand this 25th day of August, 1909, in the presence of two WltDGSSGS' FREDERICK w. YOST. 

